ʿAlawī dynasty
Quick Summary
The Alawite dynasty is the current ruling dynasty of Morocco, having come to power in the 17th century. They are a sharifian family, meaning they claim descent from the Prophet Muhammad. The dynasty was founded by Mawlāy al-Rashīd, who unified Morocco with the help of Arab tribes. His half-brother, Mawlāy Ismāʿīl, further consolidated power with a professional army composed of slaves and their descendants, known as the ʿAbīd al-Bukhārī. This dynasty has maintained Morocco's independence, resisting Ottoman expansion and European incursions.123
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Islamic worldTrans-Saharan Islam…under Ismāʿīl (ruled 1672–1727), an ʿAlawite sharif. A holy family of Sijilmassa, the ʿAlawites were brought to power by Arab tribal support, which they eventually had to replace with a costly army of black slaves. Like the Saʿdīs, they were legitimated in two ways: by the recognition of leading Sufis…
Read More…under Ismāʿīl (ruled 1672–1727), an ʿAlawite sharif. A holy family of Sijilmassa, the ʿAlawites were brought to power by Arab tribal support, which they eventually had to replace with a costly army of black slaves. Like the Saʿdīs, they were legitimated in two ways: by the recognition of leading Sufis…
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MoroccoHistory…saw the rise of the ʿAlawite dynasty of sharifs, who still rule Morocco today. This dynasty fostered trade and cultural relations with sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, and the Arab lands, though religious tensions between Islam and Christendom often threatened the peace.
Read More…saw the rise of the ʿAlawite dynasty of sharifs, who still rule Morocco today. This dynasty fostered trade and cultural relations with sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, and the Arab lands, though religious tensions between Islam and Christendom often threatened the peace.
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North AfricaMorocco under sharifian dynastiesThe ʿAlawites, who rule Morocco to this day, came to power with the help of Arab tribes that had moved into Morocco in large numbers during the Almohad period. The founder of the dynasty, Mawlāy al-Rashīd, mobilized these tribes against the powerful Berber principality of the…
Read MoreThe ʿAlawites, who rule Morocco to this day, came to power with the help of Arab tribes that had moved into Morocco in large numbers during the Almohad period. The founder of the dynasty, Mawlāy al-Rashīd, mobilized these tribes against the powerful Berber principality of the…
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